A small coastal town on the Great Ocean Road, South-West of Melbourne, Australia. Aireys Inlet is between Anglesea and Lorne, and joined with Fairhaven on the West.

Painkalac Creek, which separates Aireys Inlet from Fairhaven, forms a salt lake or inlet behind the sand dunes before it cuts through to the sea. Due to low water levels in the inlet it is not often that the inlet breaks through.

The Split Point Lighthouse overlooks the inlet. Many scenes from the children's television series Round the Twist were filmed at or around the area of the lighthouse.

Aireys Inlet was devastated by the infamous 1983 "Ash Wednesday" bushfires in which nearly every house was burnt down. However after a brief lull, interest in the area resumed and has been steadily climbing since. Properties, especially those with an ocean_view are becoming increasingly sought after, some going for greater than AU$1 million.

Many surfies holiday in Aireys Inlet to take advantage of the popular Fairhaven beach. As the inclination of the beach can change dramatically between years, the surf is regarded as unpredictable. Swimmers should take note there is a strong rip current.

In the early 19th century, before European settlement, an escaped convict William Buckley lived here in a primitive hut eating fish, shell fish, wild raspberries and sugar ants. Aireys Inlet was known to the Aboriginals of the time as "Managwhawz". (See "The Life And Adventures of William Buckley" Morgan, 1967)

External links

• http://www.aireysinlet.org.au
• Fairhaven SurfCam (http://www.coastalwatch.com.au/cam.asp?cam=6000)
• ANGAIR: local environment group (http://users.pipeline.com.au/angair/mainpage.htm)
• Split Point Lighthouse History (http://au.geocities.com/aust_lighthouses2/split_point/split_point_aireys_inlet.htm)